Matt Guthmiller

A 21 year old student at MIT, Matt Guthmiller is a world record setting pilot, entrepreneur, and speaker. Since his first solo at 16, he has earned a commercial pilot certificate with numerous ratings and logged more than 1,300 hours in dozens of aircraft. At age 19 he became the youngest pilot to solo circumnavigate the globe by air, flying a 1981 A36 Bonanza 30,000 miles, and has flown in some of the most extreme situations a pilot can find. Most days he can be found flying around the country for business or pleasure, practicing aerobatics, and occasionally doing his homework.

A playground for the world’s rich and famous, the small Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy is known for its beaches, gourmet dining, and high-end designers. But it is also home to Gustaf III/St. Jean Airport, widely regarded as one of the most dangerous and challenging airports on the planet. So naturally when I had the opportunity to explore the Caribbean with a few friends for spring break, I jumped at the chance to land at St. Barts.

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Air Facts was first published in 1938 by Leighton Collins, dedicated to “the development of private air transportation.” It’s a different world now, and it’s a different Air Facts. Relaunched in 2011 as an online journal, Air Facts still champions, educates, informs and entertains pilots worldwide with real-world flying experiences.

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